Palm Springs police: No choice but to fatally shoot Marine in Palm Springs

AP

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Police say they had no choice but to shoot and kill a Camp Pendleton Marine after he refused to pull over, drove into one officer, and tried to drive off with another officer hanging halfway out of his car window.

The Marine repeatedly ignored orders to stop after being approached by officers on bike patrol around 2 a.m. Saturday, the Palm Springs Police Department said in a statement Monday.

One of the officers partially climbed into the passenger window to stop the car, but the Marine accelerated, striking the other officer, the department said. The Marine kept driving with the officer hanging out of the window until the car crashed near the garage exit, it said.

Both officers were treated for injuries at a hospital and released. They have been placed on administrative leave while the department investigates.

The Marine died at the scene and the lone passenger, another Marine, was not injured, authorities said.

"In the course of these events, fearing for their safety and the safety of others both officers discharged their weapons," the statement said.